Hydraulic fracturing (also termed “fracking”) is a method of removing material from strata or zones within bedrock using a pressurized material pumped into a bore well drilled into the bedrock. The pressurized material (also termed “fracking material” or “fracking mixture”) diffuses into small openings or fissures within bedrock zones and expands them into larger fracture structures. These larger fractures allow the underground material to be withdrawn from the bedrock more readily than if the original fissures were not enlarged. The material recovered from the underground source is then pumped into facilities where the fracking mixture can be readily separated from the material recovered from the bedrock.
Fracking methods have been used extensively in the recovery of petroleum related materials such as natural gas and oil from oil shale. Another application for this technique may be found in the recovery of water from water-bearing zones or strata within bedrock. The use of hydraulic fracturing for water recovery may prove beneficial, especially in regions lacking readily accessible surface or near-surface water, and where deeper aquifers may be found.
Unlike petroleum materials obtained in this manner, water extracted by means of fracking must be potable for human, animal, and agricultural use. Therefore, a fracking mixture used to recover water must have a minimal effect on water potability.